14 FLYPAST March 2018
NEWS THE LATEST IN AVIATION HERITAGE
Vulcan cockpit being restored to former glory
Restoration work is progressing
well on the cockpit section of Avro
Vulcan B.2 XL388 at Doncaster’s
South Yorkshire Air Museum (see
feature starting on page 72).
Attempts to ‘rejuvenate’ the
exhibit began early last year. The
section has now been elevated
on a custom-built stand at its
approximate ‘in service’ height,
and the rear bulkhead – where itwas separated from the fuselage – has
been trimmed, with corrosion rectifi ed
and fresh paint applied. Many other
areas of damage to the skin and
radome have also been treated.
As the cockpit had been resting on
its underside for some time, the two
pitot tubes and the bomb aimer’s
blister were severely damaged.
The one surviving pitot has been
refurbished, and used as a templateto replicate the other. Both have now
been fi tted to XL388.
As the blister had been fl attened
beyond hope of repair, the only option
was to replace it with that previously
fi tted to B.2 XM571. This considerable
task has been completed, and the
cockpit’s external surfaces are due to
be repainted in the near future.
The interior still requires plenty of
work as it has been largely strippedof its fi ttings. Excellent progress
has been made in rebuilding the
rear crew areas, although restoring
the pilots’ section is expected to
be more challenging. The team is
always keen to hear from anyone
who has relevant items they would
like to donate – the project can be
contacted via the museum or by
e-mail: [email protected]
GRAHAM BUCKLEThe cockpit section of Vulcan B.2 XL388 under restoration at the South Yorkshire Air Museum. A view of the bomb aimer’s blister – originally fi tted to B.2 XM571. BOTH GRAHAM BUCKLEWe salute you
Wg Cdr Paul Barber OBE DFC – flew Lancasters with 35 Squadron and served
in the RAF until 1970 – died on November 9, aged 94; Wg Cdr L S ‘Charles’
Laughton OBE – flew 273 Squadron Spitfires in Burma, and was involved in
the shoot down of a Ki-46 ‘Dinah’ in 1944; later served in Korea on USAF
secondment and was awarded the Bronze Star – on December 5, aged 95;
Joy Lofthouse – flew fighters and bombers for the Air Transport Auxiliary
during World War Two – on November 15, aged 94; Sydney Marshall – flight
engineer on 103 Squadron Lancasters, later events secretary of the Boston
branch of the Aircrew Association – on December 11, aged 93; John Edward
Milner – flew with Bomber Command until February 1946 before retraining
as an air traffic controller; later returned to flying for a long military and
civil career – on October 28, aged 93; Wg Cdr Reg Reynolds DSO* DFC* – led
many low-level daylight raids in 105 and 139 Squadron Mosquitos – on
November 25, aged 98; Sqn Ldr Geoff Rothwell DFC* – flew Wellingtons
with 99 Squadron and 218 Squadron Stirlings, among others; shot down
after dropping agents shortly before the Battle of Arnhem – on November
5, aged 97; Duncan Simpson OBE – former RAF airman and Hawker test
pilot, forever linked with the Harrier programme and later the Hawk – on
December 5, aged 89; Flt Lt Edward ‘Ted’ Stocker DSO DFC – completed 108
raids in heavy bombers, many with the Pathfinder Force and was the only
flight engineer to be awarded the DSO – on December 8, aged 95; ACM
Sir Peter Terry GCB AFC – flew Swifts and commanded 51 Squadron before
becoming Vice-Chief of Air Staff and C-in-C of RAF Germany – on December
19, aged 91.The Airpower Museum in Blakesburg,
Iowa, has added DHC Super Chipmunk
N6311V to its collection.
The two-seat aerobatic trainer wasdesigned to be the fi rst monoplane to
represent the US in world aerobatic
competition. It was fl own by World War
Two veteran and aerobatic champion
Harold Krier who was instrumental
in adapting the original Chipmunk
design to achieve this goal. As well
as lengthening the ailerons and
redesigning the tail, he strengthened
the airframe and installed a 200hp
(149kW) Ranger engine.
The museum received the aircraft
from display pilots Todd and Jo
Peterson of El Dorado, Kansas. It
will eventually be put on display
alongside Frank Price’s Great Lakes
biplane, a US entrant in the fi rst
Modern World Aerobatic Contest,
held in 1960. The Great Lakes,
donated in 1984 by test pilot Mel
Barron, can currently be seen in
the attraction’s main hangar, and
is the subject of a return-to-fl ight
fundraising campaign. WITH THANKS TO
PAUL BERGE AND BRENT TAYLOR
http://www.antiqueairfi eld.comSuper Chipmunk to be
displayed at US museum
DHC Super Chipmunk N6311V is a new arrival at Blakesburg’s Airpower Museum.
COURTESY APM